His Terms, Her Choice

At 2:47 a.m., Damian Voss summons bartender Clara Hayes to Scarlet Ember’s mezzanine. He doesn’t want another drink—he wants her to work only for him, with triple pay and an apartment next door. Clara has spent three weeks refusing to lower her eyes to a man used to deference. Now she must decide what his offer really costs, and whether his attention is opportunity or control.